In this supermarket, poor families shop for free: the Canadian initiative that restores dignity

In Canada there is a supermarket that restores dignity and freedom to people who find themselves in conditions of economic hardship and where food is truly a right. It’s called the BMO Asahtowikamik Community Food Hub (and we announced its opening some time ago) and it is the first food bank in the country, which adopts a model based on choice, where those in need no longer receive the standard shopping package but can decide which products to purchase.

The centre, inaugurated in August 2024, is located in the western province of Saskatchewan and is managed by the Regina Food Bank in collaboration with BMO (Bank of Montreal), which financed the initiative. The name Asahtowikamik comes from the indigenous Cree language and can be translated as “food shelter”.

How the special Food Hub works

Forget the classic food bank with rows of pre-packaged boxes and packages. At the BMO Asahtowikamik Community Food Hub, people registered with the Regina Food Bank enter a modern, bright and organized space like a real supermarket: shelves, aisles, trolleys and free choice of products.
The system focuses on dignity, autonomy and inclusiveness.

Here every customer is welcomed with a smile and can select foods for free based on their dietary needs (e.g. vegan diet, celiac disease, lactose intolerance), religious needs (e.g. halal foods) and, obviously, based on their own taste: in this way food waste is also avoided. Every day around 70 families go to the food hub to do their shopping and the feedback is very positive, given that the people who frequent it feel like real customers and not desperate people to be assisted.

A living space for the community

The BMO Asahtowikamik Community Food Hub is more than just a supermarket. Inside and outside there are spaces to meet, a basketball court and play areas for the little ones.

The center also organizes food education courses for children, financial literacy and food sovereignty for indigenous communities so as not to leave anyone behind.

Wouldn’t it be nice to replicate this model in Italy too?